81. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to introduce lung cancer screening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64099/25]

Sentiment score: -0.22

November is lung cancer awareness month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Ireland yet unlike for breast, bowel and cervical cancers, there is no national screening programme in place. The Marie Keating Foundation recently launched the Breathless Collection campaign to highlight key symptoms of lung cancer, including shortness of breath, chest tightness, shoulder pain and a persistent cough. It is a simple message: symptoms cannot be ignored. We also now have the benefit of evidence from the lung health check pilot delivered in partnership with Beaumont Hospital, the RCSI and the ICS using a mobile low-dose CT model that has shown real promise in detecting lung cancer at its very earliest stage. My question today is this: when does the Department intend to progress this programme to a full national lung cancer screening programme?

Sentiment score: -0.40

It is good to hear that the Minister is well disposed to putting more research into it and trying to assess whether it is an appropriate screening programme. We know from international evidence, including from the UK, the US and across the EU, that low-dose screening reduces mortality, particularly among high-risk groups such as long-term smokers and those with an extended smoking history. Having said that, I also know that many people who are not traditionally in this high-risk group are presenting with lung cancer and sometimes at quite a late stage. From ongoing work here in Ireland, we also know that there is a stigma around lung cancer and that awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer is quite low, particularly among former smokers. The Beaumont pilot programme has been very successful, especially in identifying lung cancer at a very early stage. We know that drugs exist to treat lung cancer at this early stage. When will the national screening advisory committee, which is scheduled to review the work, issue a report on the possibility of a pilot programme?

Sentiment score: -0.20

I appreciate what the Minister has said. I also congratulate her on expanding the home testing for cervical screening. People who are diagnosed with lung cancer at an early stage have an 80% survival rate. Being diagnosed at a late stage reduces the survival rate by up to 20%. I commend the Marie Keating Foundation and the Irish Cancer Society. The Marie Keating Foundation's Breathless Collection campaign is hugely important in highlighting awareness and also in supporting campaigns for a national screening programme. I ask the Minister to commit to publishing the implementation roadmap and the report from the advisory committee, and to confirm that we will hopefully see a lung cancer screening programme during the lifetime of this Government.

Sentiment score: 0.05